We live in a highly advanced technological savvy world and when it comes to our kids and social media there are boundaries that need to be set that oftentimes remain a mystery to good-intentioned parents. Celebrity mom Brooke Burke is not alone in her quest to find social media balance in her household.
Photo Credit: Brooke Burke/Facebook
Related: Do Your Kids Spend Too Much Time on Technology? See How Celebs Keep the Family Balanced
These are the tips that Burke shared on her website about managing technology in her home.
- We take tech breaks. I’m concerned about too much tech. I don’t let my children lose themselves in their phones when I’m driving them. I never want my carpooling duties to feel like chauffeur service. I know I can’t make my kids converse but I can make them take their heads out of cyber space.
- I do NOT allow phones on any dining table, at restaurants or home – big pet peeve of mine! That’s our time to connect and family meals are invaluable to me.
- I try to monitor late next texting, face timing, and computer entertainment because research shows that light depletes serotonin – not good for the zzz’s. My daughter’s friends don’t come over as much because they can visit virtually with each other via the computer. Weird, but that’s life now.
- I also try to understand the apps and accounts that my kids are using like SnapChat so I can check theirs randomly. Occasional monitoring is important and so is experienced dialogue, meaning I know how it all works – knowledge is golden. They think it’s cool when I understand their world and I think its valuable to do so.
- I don’t let my kids make requests, ask for favors or express their needs with short text abbreviations. Like…. “can L STN, LUSM TYL GG” which means “can Lilly spend the night? Love you so much – Talk To You Later – Gotta Go.” It’s cute but I need a “Hi Mom” at least, and hopefully a phone call to arrange plans. I’m still the person that needs to pick up the phone and feel the sentiment though tonality.
- When all my children are home, I shut my phone off at night, and regularly use the moonlight feature for “do not disturb” so I don’t get email or text alerts on my iPhone – too annoying and I feel that I am allowed some personal space and do not need to be accessible 24/7 (except to my family).
Visit ModernMom.com to read Burke’s full thoughts.
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